1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alarm collection apparatus of a central maintenance operation center for use in exchange, and in particular to an alarm collection apparatus with flexibility to enhanced functional extensions of the exchange.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing the construction of a conventional alarm signaling system which is used in an exchange, such as a FETEX-150 provided by the assignee of the present invention.
The conventional exchange system comprises a plurality of local offices (or stations) 910, a remote line concentrator (RLC) 930, a central maintenance operation center (CMOC) 940, and a toll switch (TS) 950. The CMOC 940 supervises occurrences of alarms at the local offices 910. The TS 950 is a switching office and is disposed between the CMOC 940 and the local office 910. The RLC 930 is a remote exchange which is a satellite of a local office and comprises a subscriber line circuit (SLC) 931 and a remote line concentrator (RLC) 932.
The local office 910 comprises a subscriber line circuit (SLC) 911, a line concentrator (LC) 912, and a network (NW) 913 which are connected one after the other. The NW 913 is connected to a main processor and call processor (MPR/CPR) 914. The MPR/CPR 914 is connected to a visual display unit (VDU) 915 which comprises a display and a command entry key set. The NW 913 is connected to a system test console (STCNS) 916 through common channel signaling equipment (CSEI) 919 and a console interface (CN) 920 which are network interfaces. The STCNS 916 collects alarms of the local office. In the RLC 930, the RLC 932 is connected to the SLC 931. The RLC 932 is accommodated in the network NW 913 of the local office 910.
The CMOC 940 comprises a digital link interface (DLI) 941, a master system test console (MSTCNS) 942, a system supervisory console (SSCNS) 943, a main processor (MPR) 944, and a visual display unit (VDU) 945. The DLI 941 is a switch unit. The MSTCNS 942 is a console which collects alarms of the local office 910. The SSCNS 943 performs control processes such as setting a path for the DLI 941 and collecting and displaying alarms detected by the CMOC 940. The VDU 945 comprises a display and a dedicated key set. The DLI 941 has a controller (CNT) 954 which controls the switch unit. The SSCNS 943 is connected to an alarm indicator (ALIND) 946 and alarm display equipment (ALDE) 947. Under the control of the SSCNS 943, the ALDE 947 displays the positions of local offices 910 and alarms thereof by using a map.
The local office 910 and the CMOC 940 are connected through the TS 950 which is a switching office. Alarm information is sent from the local office 910 to the CMOC 940 through an alarm collection link. The STCNS 916 of the local office 910 communicates with the MSTCNS 942 of the CMOC 940 through a common channel signaling equipment interface (CSEI) and a digital terminal (DT). An alarm link 960 is formed of the STCNS 916, the CSEI 919-1, the NW 913, the DT 921-1, the DT 951-1, the TS 950, the DT 951-2, the DT 948-1, the DLI 941, the CSEI 949-1, and the MSTCNS 942. On the other hand, the MPR 914 of the local office 910 is linked to the MPR 944 of the CMOC 940 in accordance with common channel signaling method No. 7. A No. 7 link 965 is formed of the MPR/CPR 914, common channel signaling equipment (CSE) 922, the CSEI 919-2, the NW 913, the DT 921-2, the DT 951-3, the DT 951-4, the DT 948-2, the DLI 941, the CSEI 949-2. the CSE 953, and the MPR 944.
An alarm detected (by hardware) in the local office 910 is sent to the MPR/CPR 914 through the NW 913. A relevant alarm message is displayed on both the VDU 915 and the STCNS 916. The alarm message is sent to the MSTCNS 942 from the STCNS 916 through the alarm link 960. The alarm message is displayed on the display of the MSTCNS 942.
The STCNS 916 of the local office 910 has an alarm input terminal which directly receives an alarm. An alarm that the STCNS 916 has directly received is displayed on the STCNS 916. The alarm is also displayed on the MSTCNS 942 through the alarm link 960.
Some alarms are detected by software. In other words, errors in software are recognized by the MPR/CPR 914. The MPR/CPR 914 sends a relevant message to the VDU 915. As well as a system status, a software alarm is displayed on the STCNS 916 and sent to the MSTCNS 942 through the alarm link 960. As examples of system statuses, there are duplex system active/inactive (inactive meaning standby) status, route status, busy status, call regulation status, CC occupying ratio, and CC overload. The MPR/CPR 914 sends to the MPR 944 of the CMOC 940 through the No. 7 link 965 a software alarm message displayed on the VDU 915. Thus, the alarm message is also displayed on the VDU 945 of the CMOC 940. When a command is input from the dedicated key set of the VDU 915, this command is sent to the VDU 945 of the CMOC 940 through the NO. 7 link 965.
As described above, between the local office 910 and the CMOC 940, two links, namely the alarm link 960 and the No. 7 link 965, are provided. In the conventional system, the alarm link 960 serves to send alarm information and status information, whereas the No. 7 link 965 serves to send messages.
However, the above-described exchange system (FETEX-150) will be extended as technologies of hardware and software are advancing. Thus, problems with respect to alarm collection are arising.
On the local office side, the conventional system has the following problems:
(1) Cannot handle an increase of the number of alarm points . . . As the system advances, the number of alarm points to be supervised increases. However, the hardware and firmware of the STCNS in the conventional system restrict an increase of the number of alarm points accessible.
(2) Cannot flexibly add or change new alarm points. . . . After the system has been installed and operated, the system will be enhanced on the user side. For example, units A and B which have been installed may be replaced with different units .alpha., .delta., and ***. Thus, after the system has been installed and operated, it is preferred to easily add or change alarm points. However, the STCNS cannot flexibly add or change new points.
(3) Cannot provide an adequate man-machine interface. . . . In the conventional system, alarms and so forth are displayed on the display of the STCNS. Thus, the hardware and firmware of the console should perform the display process. In other words, the conventional system cannot provide the user with a flexible man-machine interface.
To solve such problems, the alarm collection system of the local office has been enhanced as follows. FIG. 1B is a block diagram showing the system construction of an enhanced local office.
The STCNS 916 of the local office is substituted with an alarm shelf (ALMSH-B) 1016. Although the ALMSH-B 1016 collects alarms of the local office in the same manner as the STCNS 916 does, they differ in physical construction. The ALMSH-B 1016 is of a shelf type where many printed circuit boards can be inserted. In this construction, the number of printed circuit boards can be increased according to an increase of the number of alarm points. Thus, the number of alarm points can be increased from around 64 (in the STCNS 916) to around 1000 or more (in the ALMSH-B 1016). The ALMSH-B 1016 forms an alarm link with the CMOC 940 through the CSEI 919, the NW 913, the DT 921, and the TS 950. The ALMSH-B 1016 is connected to an alarm indicator panel unit (ALIPU) 1018.
In the conventional system, the MPR 914 which performs such processes as call-controlling and recognizing software alarms is connected to the VDU 915 which displays alarm messages and inputs commands. However, in the enhanced system, the VDU 915 is substituted with a system control workstation (SCWS) 1015. Thus, the man-machine interface for input and output operations is improved.
The MPR 914 is connected to the ALMSH-B 1016 through a packet link controller PLC 1017. The PLC 1017 communicates with the ALMSH-B 1016 according to a communication protocol named LAPB. The MPR 914 forms a No. 7 link 1065 through the CSE 922.
As described above, although improvements of the local office side have been proposed, there are some problems on the CMOC side.
(1) The consoles of the conventional MSTCNS 942 and SSCNS 943 cannot flexibly handle an increase of the number of local offices which collect alarms.
(2) In the conventional system, the man-machine interface is accomplished by the displays and dedicated input key sets of the consoles of the MSTCNS 942 and SSCNS 943. Thus, the man-machine interface is not satisfactorily flexible.
(3) The enhanced local office 1010 (hereinafter referred to as the enhanced office) and the conventional local office 910 (hereinafter referred to as the conventional office) coexist. However, the conventional CMOC cannot equally collect alarms from both the enhanced office and the conventional local office.
(4) Particularly, a moving telephone system such as a car telephone system or a portable telephone system whose usage has rapidly increased divides a pre-determined region up into smaller regions and provides a radio base office at most of the smaller regions, thereby performing a confirmation of the position of the moving telephone and relaying communications to the moving telephone. In such a radio base office, an abnormal temperature, a fire or a water leak may occur in a relay in the radio base office and it is necessary to supervise and manage the behavior of systems by incorporating the radio base office into the alarm system as one of the local stations.